Greater New Orleans

Jefferson Parish President John Young says language in massive spending bill asking the Corps to consider alternative to the Modified Charleston Method of determining mitigation requirements for flood control projects is a step in the right direction.

WASHINGTON -- More robust funding for the Army Corps of Engineers and a provision requiring the Corps to propose less expensive mitigation requirements are included in a $1.1 trillion spending bill that won final congressional approval Thursday.

For years, Louisiana officials have complained that the Corp's mitigation requirement, known as the Modified Charleston Method, put onerous requirements on local project sponsors to mitigate damage to wetlands and habitat.

The language requiring the Corps to report how it calculates mitigation requirements and offer up an alternative within 90 days was added to the spending bill by Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. Mitigation requirements could determine the viability of the $10.3 billion Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane protection project.

"The Modified Charleston method is unnecessarily raising mitigation costs and preventing us building critical flood protection projects," Landrieu said. "If the Army Corps doesn't implement this in a smarter, more strategic manner, it will be simply impossible for coastal Louisiana communities to build the basic flood protection infrastructure we need to continue living where we need to work to keep producing energy and manufacturing the goods necessary for continued economic growth."

Jefferson Parish President John Young said the language in the spending bill is a "step in the right direction."

"It is important to inject common sense and logic into this critical process," Young said. "We need a formula that is realistic and reasonable and that properly balances the necessity for mitigation with the resources of local government while also fostering an environment that promotes and encourages continued economic development."

Environmental groups argue that previous Corps projects have destroyed wetlands, which provide a natural buffer from major storms. Sufficient mitigation is critical, they contend.

The compromise spending bill provides $5.46 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, an increase of $748 million above the fiscal year 2013 sequester level and $791 million more than was approved by the House. But Landrieu said it still short changes construction funding for flood control and hurricane protection projects.

"In 2008, it (construction funding) was $2.2 billion; today, it is $1.6 billion," Landrieu said. "There is a $60 billion backlog of authorized projects, and I will continue pushing to provide increased funding for the completion of these critical infrastructure investments in Louisiana and throughout the nation. The money we spend today on the operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of essential water infrastructure will save taxpayers money in the future."

The bill includes language that follows the lead of a Senate-passed water resources bill to use $1 billion, $100 million more than proposed by the Obama administration, from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to pay for operations and maintenance of major waterways. The fund is financed from fees collected on imports and domestic cargo to ports with federally maintained harbors.

The bill also includes language consistent with the Senate-passed Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to use $1 billion, $100 million more that proposed by President's budget, from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) to cover operations and maintenance and other eligible expenditures on our nation's waterways.